


dumb human things

by EpoxyMiner



Category: BNA: Brand New Animal (Anime)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I don't know how to tag this, Light Angst, Slow Burn, That's it, ish???, its literally just me being dumb and fluffy, that comes later tho, that's the fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25437346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpoxyMiner/pseuds/EpoxyMiner
Summary: Shirou doesn't like humans. This was a known fact by literally everyone who knew him. A certain tanuki starts to change his mind after she comes crashing into his life, and he opens up to the idea of humans just a little.What he isn't prepared for is all of the weird things that humans can and will do to (un)intentionally ruin his day. (Spoiler alert: he really doesn't mind it.)Rated T for language and a little non-graphic violence in later chapters!
Relationships: Hiwatashi Nazuna & Kagemori Michiru, Kagemori Michiru & Ogami Shirou, Kagemori Michiru/Ogami Shirou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 124





	dumb human things

**Author's Note:**

> Hi so this came to me as I was thinking about BNA and then I was like,,,, they're different species, right? Sorta like aliens (yes, I know they live on the same planet! Roll with me here!). And so then I was thinking of those "space australia" posts, and... you see where I'm going with this? Anyway, humans are weird, stan shiromichi

He was uncomfortable.

Someone was screaming in his ear.

He _really_ didn’t know why he let himself be roped into these things.

A couple weeks ago, it was announced that Anima City’s baseball championship would be held with restrictions on what tactics could be used to play the game. Shirou knew what that really meant: no killing, maiming, or otherwise physically incapacitating the opponents. Thinking back, he supposed he had Michiru to thank for that - due to her impromptu becoming of the Bear’s pitcher and the team’s subsequent rise in capability and popularity, she had managed to gain so much support in her “I don’t play a killing game” stance that the people in charge decided they had to include the rule.

When the mayor had brought up baseball one day, he had expected her to send him on a mission similar to last year’s: get a handle on the rampant baseball gambling. Instead, she had told him of the change in rules and that the Chief Inspector would be taking care of the enforcement of said rules. He couldn’t help but be a little miffed at the implication that he was being laid off, but he knew that wasn’t her intention, so he left it alone.

(He _did_ scoff at the fact that she told him to go home and get some rest. Honestly, she wasn’t his mother…)

Due to this, he didn’t even have to be at the game. He could be somewhere else, _anywhere_ else - someplace where there _wasn't_ a crazed fan shouting his ears off, but here he was, suffering, all because a certain tanuki had begged him. _The things I do for this woman…_ He was brought out of his reverie by the announcer.

“And, last but most certainly not least, the Bear’s star player, Kagemori Michiru!” There was a swell of noise around him. He supposed she was their star player, but he didn’t expect there to be this much support for her. He studied the lineup of players on the opposing team and found that he couldn’t tell one from the other. They were all female flamingos wearing yellow and blue cheerleading outfits. _I could tell them apart by scent,_ he mused, shifting forward so his elbows rested on his knees, hands clasped under his chin. He watched with mild interest as the players walked away from each other seemingly at random, only to all stop almost simultaneously in their positions on the field or on the sidelines.

The flamingos were up to bat first. Michiru was standing tall on the pitcher’s mound, eyes closed, ball in hand. Shirou was struck by how powerful she looked in that moment - like she could take on the world and win, so different from her normal playful attitude. Don’t get him wrong, he did enjoy her normal self, as it was refreshing to be in the company of someone so full of life. But these moments hit him differently, when her true strength shone through - that carefree aura replaced by one of quiet power. The chattering around him grew in excitement, and he suspected that the crowd could sense it as well. His chest swelled with pride. Then he internally smacked himself. _Why are you so worked up over one girl?!_

The batter did not agree with the crowd’s assessment. “Hey, bitch! I’m talkin’ to you, tanuki bitch! Why don'tcha go back to your mud boat? This place is only for real baseball players, not some ragtag band of street himbos!” Shirou stiffened. How dare they talk like that-! He was half out of his seat when he heard Michiru respond.

“Did you not learn your lesson the first time?” He froze on the spot and his eyes snapped back to her. Her voice carried clearly across the pitch. It was strong and bold, everything he knew her to be and yet not quite there. She _was_ strong and bold, but she was also happy and excited and radiant, and her voice was missing all those qualities. He fell back into his chair with a soft _flump_ , and, as he stared, he wondered idly how the batter wasn’t shaking in fear. 

“You have no right to prey on others because of how they look or where they came from,” she continued, her cold voice in stark contrast to her fiery eyes. “I came here to play baseball, and so that’s what I’m gonna do. If all you came here to do-” she tossed the ball up and caught it “-was try to insult your way to the top-” she wound her arm back “-then doesn’t that make you the fake?!” As she finished her sentence, she threw the ball with as much for as her gorilla arm could muster. It flashed past the offending flamingo and left her tangled in her own limbs, looking shocked and angry and a bit scared as well. Jackie threw the ball back to Michiru.

(Yes, Shirou does know the names of Michiru’s friends. No, he was not ever going to divulge that information to anyone in any way, shape, or form.)

As Michiru caught the ball, Shirou gazed at her with parted lips, his hands limp in his lap. He flashed back to last year, when he gave the gambling money back to the short yellow guy. He’d told himself that he’d done it because it wasn’t doing anyone harm, but deep down he knew the truth. He’d given the money back because Michiru had said that baseball made her happy, and he couldn't take that away from her. Looking at her now, at how confident she was, how happy she and her teammates were, how loud the crowd was getting - he knew why this made her so happy. She was able to be herself, to be as loud as she wanted, to beat down those who insulted her and her friends and bring joy to everyone else. 

Shirou smiled a rare soft smile. Of course that’s why he came to the game. If it meant he could see Michiru be as happy as she was now, he’d come to every game.

(No, he’s not in love with her, why do you ask? He just likes seeing beastmen happy. Yeah, that's totally it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did you like it! Let me know! I thrive off of comments and the like. Also, let me know if there's anything you want to see Shirou (or anyone else!) be baffled by!


End file.
